As I prepared to go off to college during my senior year of high school, I was bombarded with a million questions. "Do you know where you’re living yet?" "Did you go in blind?" "OMG, you are going in blind?" (Seriously, though, go in blind because college is about making new friends.) "What classes are you going to take?" "What are you going to major in?" The list goes on. However, one question that I always answered easily is, "Are you going to rush a sorority?"
My answer every time was a very dramatic "no." I told people that there was no way that I was going to be told what to wear, who my friends are, where I could and couldn’t go, etc. It didn’t help that I had a stereotypical view of Greek life. When I thought of Greek life I thought of partying all the time, mean girls, snobby boys, and people who didn’t care about anything but partying, much less their grades or each other.
However, as move-in day approached, I realized that I didn’t really know any girls who were going to my school. So, I decided to try rushing. Now, as I finish my freshman year and say goodbye to all of my sisters for the summer, I can say how wrong I truly was.
Being a part of a sorority is much more than partying. There are many days and nights filled with non-stop studying because we all want to get an A on that Econ 101 exam. We have philanthropy events regularly so that we can give back to our community. Many of us are a part of student organizations and student leadership on our campus. We have internships and jobs for the summer.
However, what’s most important is who my sisters are. My sisters are some of the kindest, sweetest, smartest, and most driven girls who I have ever met. My sisters are there when I need a study buddy, someone to eat with, a shoulder to cry on, someone to laugh with, or a night out. They are the girls who are there for me anytime I need them. They support me in anything I do, even when I fail. They encourage me to never give up, even when I want to. They make me laugh after a hard exam or a rough day of class. They are some of my best friends who have truly become sisters to me.
I couldn’t be prouder to be wrong about Greek life and to have met some of the best friends who I could have ever hoped for. So, if you’re thinking that you don’t want to rush, just give it a chance. I can’t imagine what college would be like without my sisters.
